


If It Were True

by MoonlightShines (Thatkillervibe)



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Timelines, CC Jitters, Denial of Feelings, F/M, Future Fic, Ice Cream Parlors, POV Caitlin Snow, Snooping, set post season 4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2019-04-13 19:36:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14119419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thatkillervibe/pseuds/MoonlightShines
Summary: “You two make such a cute couple,” The elderly woman cooed.Caitlin’s eyes widened. “Oh—No, no we’re not a couple,” she stammered. “He’s just my best friend.”





	If It Were True

It was a ridiculously humid day in August.

Star Labs had fans and air conditioning but it didn’t stop Caitlin’s or Cisco’s hair from frizzing. Caitlin recently got bangs again, and she wholeheartedly regrets the decision as they kept sticking to her forehead.

“Why don’t you just Killer Frost and spare yourself the misery?” Cisco complained. “Like, I know it had bad consequences for Arendelle but you should seriously consider pulling an Elsa and freezing Summer.”

It was just the two of them today. The West-Allens took the day off to spend with Joe and Cecile and Harry went to check up on the Star Labs of Earth 2.

Caitlin glanced at him from over her desk. He was still plastering his face against the biggest fan which was making his voice vibrate funny.

“First of all, let’s not turn Killer Frost into a verb. Two, I have too much work to get done by tonight, I don’t want to switch right now.”

Cisco groaned. “Fiiiiiine. But please, _please_ can we go for an ice cream break?”

Caitlin quickly calculated the pros and cons of missing out on a half hour of work—to have some refreshing, cold, delicious ice cream, yeah, who was she kidding?—and smiled, giving in.  

They walked to the closest ice cream parlor, gossiping about the latest drama between Ralph and his new girlfriend, Sue.

When they got there, Cisco told her to save a small table next to an elderly woman on the patio while he ordered a two scoop cone: rocky road and chocolate chip cookie dough, and a strawberry for Caitlin.

“Here you go,” Cisco said, returning with the cones. “Waffle cone for you, and chocolate dipped for me.”

Caitlin pushed her sunglasses up and made an approving sound. “You know me so well,” she sighed, taking the cone and eating it immediately.

“Hey,” Cisco says casually, half of the Rocky Road already devoured, “So you never told me what it was you’re working on.”

Caitlin reached for a napkin. “Oh,” she said, “Just going over results from the genetic molecular reorganization project Mercury Labs conducted. They wanted my consultation.”

“That’s cool. Have you thought of doing that regularly? Like, becoming the Dr. Phil of biochemistry? That would be awesome.”

Caitlin laughed. “No, we have our hands full at Star Labs. Maybe when I’m older though,” she mused. Her ice cream was beginning to melt over the cone, so she quickly lifted it up for her to chase with her tongue.

She glanced up to find Cisco looking at her. She blushed, fumbling for her napkin to wipe the rest away, embarrassed.

At this point Cisco was finishing the last of his cone and slipping his shades back on.

“I’ll get those paper cone thingies for water.”

When he left, the elderly woman tapped on Caitlin’s shoulder. She turned around politely, thinking she may have dropped her wallet or wanted water for herself or something. “You two make such a cute couple,” She cooed.

Caitlin’s eyes widened. “Oh—No, no we’re not a couple,” she stammered. “He’s just my best friend.”

 

The lady stood up, bracing her weight on a wooden cane. “Well you could’ve fooled me, dear.”  

Caitlin smiled awkwardly, watching her hobble down the stairs.

“What’s wrong?” Cisco asked as soon as he came back. Thankfully, Caitlin stalled by grabbing the cup in his hand and swallowing it down in one go.

“Nothing,” She said, “We should head back—”

A sudden thunderous boom went clapping through the air.

“Uh--” Cisco said, but before he could finish his sentence the whole city was hit by a massive storm of rain.

Caitlin shrieked as it poured, dropping her paper cone. “Ohmigod!” She cried, jumping up.

Cisco laughed. He took a swing of his water then picked up Caitlin’s from the ground, tossing them into the trash. He grabbed her arm as they ran as fast as they could to a side road off the main street and people rushing into stores for refuge. Cisco brushed his wet slicked hair from his eyes so he could see better to open a breach. “Go!” He said, pushing her into the blue and hopping in pursuit.

They reappeared in Cisco’s apartment foyer, soaked.

“Oops, force of habit. I meant to bring us to Star Labs.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Caitlin said, teeth chattering.

Cisco made quick work going into his bathroom to fetch towels. He gave her a green one, placing it around her shoulders and rubbing to try and dry her off.

They were both giggling at the situation, funny now that they weren’t at risk of suffering the same fate as Barry’s of being struck by lightning. Team Flash seemed to always have the worst timing.

“Go find something to wear, I’ll put on some coffee and then I’ll breach us back.”

Caitlin nodded, kicking off her pink pumps. Her blouse was white so she knew without having to look that it was currently see-through. She went into Cisco’s room. She’s been here so many times, she knew exactly where he kept his quirky t-shirts and Star Labs shorts that she was allowed to borrow for circumstances like these. She placed her damp fingers delicately atop the cabinet drawer, admiring the familiar framed photographs propped up in frames. She shook her head fondly, and returned at task. Cisco’s t-shirts were the second drawer down, below his underwear and socks drawer that was not quite completely closed and she made way to it when it caught her eye.

Caitlin stopped short. There was a box. A small box. A small velvet box. A small velvet black box half hidden in Cisco’s drawer. It knocked the wind out of her. It _couldn’t._ It _couldn’t_ be, she thought. It definitely couldn’t be what it looked like. But she knew she couldn’t ignore the rising suspicion that screamed: _Oh, yes it could_.

Caitlin knew that she shouldn’t, but her fingers twitched reflexively as a desperate urge to open it unfurled in her chest. She quickly looked behind her back, but Cisco was still puttering away in the kitchen, undoubtedly giving her privacy to change.

She snatched it, long forgetting that she was dripping barefoot on Cisco’s unpolished floor.

Her fingers trembled as she opened it, and she wanted to know why was she acting like this, what was she doing, as her heart got lodged up in her throat.

It was what it looked like.

It was an engagement ring.

A beautiful, expensive diamond engagement ring.

Why would he…?

Caitlin gasped, almost dropping the ring. _Gypsy_.

 _“I’m going to marry that woman,”_ Cisco said after Gypsy kissed him the first time.

He...He wasn’t kidding.

She snapped it closed and stuffed it back into his drawer, slamming it shut. She picked a t-shirt at random to change into, throwing it over her head, and Cisco’s Star Labs basketball shorts that she had to pull the drawstrings of and roll up at the waist several times. Her hair was still clinging to the back of her neck as she dropped the towel to clean up the puddles she left on his floor.

Cisco bought a ring.

He went out and actually _bought a ring_. He was going to propose. To  _Cynthia_. He was going to propose and then get married and then—

Her mind was  _spinning_.

_Cisco was going to propose?_

“Cait…?”

Footsteps came around the corner but she was too lost in her racing thoughts. He knocked on the door before peeking in.

Caitlin shot up straight, deer in the headlights as if she were caught holding the ring box and not the wet green towel clutched in her hands.

“Oh come on, you don’t have to do that,” he tsked, taking the towel from her and then laughed.

“What?” Caitlin snapped defensively, still on edge.

“Snow,” he said with a grin.

“ _What?_ ” Caitlin said again, lost.

“The shirt you picked... _Doctor Who?_ You’re Doctor Snow. That’s who.” He snorted at his own joke as Caitlin stared down at her shirt blankly.

The silence was getting weird and they were both aware of it.

Cisco clapped his hands, clearing his throat. “...Okay!! So, the coffee’s ready, it’s in a traveler’s mug. Just leave your wet clothes here, I’ll wash them and bring them back for you. Shall we get back to work?”

Caitlin feigned a smile. “Thanks,” she said. She hooked her fingers through the straps of her heels and hopped into the breach.

 _Cisco bought a ring._  

~.~

She couldn’t meet his eyes.

She watched him from her peripheral as he  drummed contentedly along to the song playing in his workstation as he worked on updating Barry’s suit, focused now that it wasn’t scorching.

Caitlin, on the other hand, couldn’t focus.

She couldn’t focus _at all._

She drafted an email to Dr. McGee, asking for an extension. Her mouse hovered over the send button.

She thought of the ring just sitting there. Waiting. Buried under his washed socks.

How long has it been there? Did Cisco buy it yesterday? Last week? Three months ago?

She sent the email.

Dr. McGee replied swiftly for her to take her time.

She shut her laptop closed immediately and told Cisco she felt she’d work better from home.

~.~

If Cisco married Gypsy, a lot of things would change.

For one, Caitlin wouldn’t be Cisco’s number one anymore. She wouldn’t be the one he called first, the one he breached to first.

But then, Cisco went out and bought a ring for Gypsy that would symbolize a commitment to her until death.

Caitlin wasn’t Cisco’s number one. She hasn’t been for a while.

She’s not quite sure how she feels about that.

If Cisco married Gypsy, he would have to move to Earth 19. Multiverse marriages were not legal—And probably wouldn’t be for a very long time. She would lose him.

Caitlin didn’t know what she felt about that, either.

~.~

By Wednesday, Caitlin concluded that the ring was a secret from everyone.

She thought definitely he would’ve told Barry if not her, but when she dropped cryptic hints after the West-Allens returned, when Cisco went to the bathroom, Barry scratched his head obliviously.

“Cisco’s been busy lately,” she mused nonchalantly.

Barry stopped eating his ridiculous Big Belly order to swallow his mouthful and take a long sip of soda.

“Uh yeah,” he said, “he’s been updating all of our suits, including Team Arrow.”

“I meant...socially,” Caitlin hedged.

Barry nodded earnestly, “it’s his cousin’s quinceanera on Saturday! They’ve been planning all year, he told me it would be huge. Hey, are you going?”

Caitlin frowned, “To Cisco’s cousin’s quinceanera? No…”

“Huh,” he replied. “That’s weird, I thought...”

“He’s probably bringing Cynthia,” Caitlin supplied. “I heard something big was going to happen.”

Barry’s face lit up. “Yes! I heard that too!”

Caitlin swallowed harshly, waiting to hear Barry spill it all.

“A four foot chocolate fountain!” He exclaimed, "Man I wish I could come just for that!"

Caitlin stared at him. “...Right.” 

So Barry knew nothing.

They all knew nothing.

Caitlin knew too much.

~.~

Caitlin wanted Cisco to be happy.

Cisco deserved to be happy, he deserved everything good life had to offer.

If Gypsy makes Cisco happy, then Caitlin should be happy for them.

Once upon a time, Caitlin thought that Jay and Julian would make her happy. Sure, she never thought of marrying them, but Cisco went out of his way to support her relationship with them.

He cheered her on when she went on a first date, and then cheered her on again six months ago when she said she didn’t need a boyfriend.

Even longer ago, he was the one who picked her up from her haunted dreams and empty broken apartment after the accelerator blew up. He was the one, not Fake Wells or Hartly, or any of the dozen other coworkers she used to have considered her friends who then vanished after that night. It was Cisco who ushered her into his home. He was the one who got her dressed and brushed her hair, and kissed her forehead and told her how strong she was, and how much Ronnie loved her, and would’ve wanted her to live to her fullest.

Caitlin cheered _him_ on when he was dating Kendra Saunders—Not Lisa Snart, but Gypsy too, once they were sure she wasn’t another Lisa.

And now Cisco wanted to marry her. Caitlin should be more than happy that her best friend found his special someone, the way he was with her. She should be thrilled.

But Caitlin is not happy.

She’s scared.

~.~

CC Jitters ran out of coffee.

Yep, you heard right. Central City’s major coffee house ran out of coffee.

Which meant that Cisco showed up empty handed after promising all of Team Flash their sacred orders to a lot of pissed of metas. Including himself.

Caitlin watched the drama unfold from her desk, trying not to smirk as she sipped on her herbal tea that she brought from home.

It took another ten minutes of squabbling for them to decide to make Barry run to Starling City for Oliver’s gourmet catered coffee to make up for their troubles. Barry brought Iris and Harry with him, the two most desperately in need of caffeine, to carry all of the cups over.

Ralph stared bleary eyed at the ground for five minutes after they left, then decided that he would much rather go back to sleep than be awake at eight AM without coffee and promptly left to go find his abandoned futon he left six months ago in the Star Labs basement.

Which left Cisco and Caitlin alone together. Again.

Things haven’t been bad between them since Caitlin found the box six days ago.

But they weren’t amazing either.

Caitlin distanced herself, and Killer Frost emerged a lot, even sometimes when she wasn’t needed, just to avoid her feelings and to avoid Cisco maybe, and everything involving the two.

She knew Cisco was confused. He didn’t know what changed, how could he have? So he threw himself into fixing up their suits, upgrading them and creating duplicates.

Caitlin was sort of thankful he was giving her space. She wouldn’t have known how to explain her weird mood anyways.

“I still don’t understand how Jitters could’ve ran out of coffee,” Cisco bemoaned, tinkering with his Vibe jacket. He saved his suit for last. “Hey, do you think I should make vibing gloves for the winter?”

“You better learn to get used to it. This will be your reality everyday after you leave,” she said cooly, without thinking.

But then she did think.

She froze. Oh no. 

Cisco froze too. “What do you mean... _after I leave?_ ”

Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. 

“To Earth 19,” she said, knowing she couldn’t go back now. “When were you going to tell us? In a postcard after you eloped?”

“What are you _talking_ about?”

“I found the ring,” she said, feigning disinterest as she organized the scattered office supplies on the computer desk.

Cisco blanched, dropping his Vibe gear. “What ring?”

“Your engagement ring,” She swallowed, “For Gypsy. I found it accidentally when it was raining on that hot day and I borrowed your clothes.”

Cisco looked like he was about to vomit.

He put a hand to his head, and sat down heavily in his office chair. “I’m not planning... on _proposing_ to Cindy,” He said slowly.

“You don’t have to lie.” Caitlin said, affronted. “I can take the truth. I just don’t understand why you kept this a secret from me.”

“I’m not lying.”

“Oh, so there just happened to be an engagement ring hidden in your room?” She sniped, making a stubborn face as she stabbed a mechanical pencil into the little pen holder.

“Yes!” Cisco cried, kicking back the seat as he got up abruptly. It went rolling with speed across the room until it crashed into the wall. Caitlin jumped in her seat. She met his gaze, begrudgingly, finally paying him attention. “Yes, okay? _Yes_. That’s exactly what happened.”

Caitlin scoffed, incredulously. Her lip trembled and she swiped at her eyes, feeling betrayed both by him and her emotions.

Cisco held his arms to his chest, his face vulnerable. He looked up at her, pleadingly. “...It was an alternate timeline. Barry didn’t tell anyone. He didn’t mean to do it, didn’t even realize he created one until it was too late. I don’t blame him,” Cisco laughed weakly. “He saved the city, defeating DeVoe.”

“What?” Caitlin said, stunned.

“We weren’t supposed to know. But then I got these dreams, freaky ones like with Reverse Flash, remember? When I remembered him killing me except...I knew I was alive.”

“Cisco, you’re scaring me.”

His gaze dropped to the floor.

“It wasn’t like Flashpoint, I kept telling myself. It wasn’t nearly so bad. Nothing really changed,” Cisco admitted,  “Except…” He looked at her, and his face gave it all away.

“...Except us,” Caitlin breathed, covering her mouth with her hand. “Cisco... we were?”

He nodded, miserably.

“...Caitlin, it’s not Cindy’s ring,” He whispered. “It’s yours.”

He smiled wryly. “I remember picking it out and putting it there. I remember…” He trailed off.

“But if the timeline was restored, then how could that ring exist?”

“I don’t know. Since when did anything around here make sense?”

Caitlin felt inexplicably angry.

“It doesn’t belong here. You should’ve gotten rid of it.”

He shouldn’t have kept it in the first place. He shouldn’t have a ring he’s not planning on using. It’s not right, she thought. It’s not right if it wasn’t real. For the last seven days Caitlin was _afraid_. She was terrified she was losing Cisco because he was going to form a family of his own. One that didn’t include her. And now it turns out it _was_ for her, but it wasn’t real. It was for a version of herself who was deeply loved and who loved in return.

It was for a Caitlin she always secretly yearned to be, but never was.

Though it did happen. It _did_. It _was_.

It was just erased from the time-space continuum for Caitlin never to remember.

Caitlin couldn’t help think the universe was cruel, dedicated to consistently screw her over.

She was crying now, silent tears streaming her cheeks.

“Why didn’t you get rid of it?” She repeated, a desperate plea.

She knew it was breaking his heart to see her fall apart this way. It always did. He could never stand to see her upset.

“I couldn’t! I could never throw that away. That was a ring that _I_ bought for _you_ Cait. Me. From _this_ Earth. Not some other Cisco for some other Caitlin. It was _us_.”

Caitlin let out a long shaky breath.

“Can I tell you a secret?” Cisco asked, putting his hand over hers. She glanced at their joined hands, then at him, nodding.

“What confuses me the most...Is that I remember how I felt. The love I had for you. Cait, I realize more and more everyday that it’s not very different from how I feel about you now. For the last month I’ve been looking at things a different way, trying to figure it out. When my heart speeds up when you laugh, how I always check for your safety first after missions. When you lick melted ice cream from a damn ice cream cone, and how proud I am of you. Is it just friendship? Because that seems inadequate. Is it love? I don’t know _what_ to think anymore. But what I do know...That little box in there? It’s not for Cynthia. I think me and Cynthia are done.”

Caitlin squeezed her eyes shut, disgusted at the wave of relief those words gave her. “You’re going to be so mad,” She said quietly, biting the nail of her thumb, when Cisco’s hand moved up to her shoulder, asking what was the matter.

“Just say it, Cait." 

“When I saw that box, I was so upset. I didn’t have a problem with Cynthia, but I never once thought that she could be permanent. That you two could be forever. I hated that. I didn’t want it. I want _us_ to be forever.”

“I was able to feel, what you were feeling too, y’know? Is it possible that…”

_That Caitlin felt the same way in both timelines. That Caitlin was in love with him._

Before she could answer, Barry, Iris and Harry skidded to a stop with all the coffee orders.

“We’re back!” Barry announced, then looked at Caitlin and Cisco’s joint hands, and then their faces.  

He grabbed Iris and Harry and zoomed back out of there.

They blinked.

“What now?” Cisco asked.

“I don’t know,” she said truthfully. She really didn’t.

Cisco let go of her and walked back to the middle of the room to retrieve his Vibe goggles.

“I think we both need to think some things through,” he said after a moment, fiddling with the gear. “But I want you to have it,” He said.

Caitlin’s eyebrows flew up. “Are you asking—“

“No,” he said. “No, I’m not. You should still have it anyway. It was for you. It _is_ for you.”

Caitlin was glad. She was afraid of what might come out of her mouth if he _was_ asking her that.

He glanced at her with a silent, hopeful expression. “I’d never leave you,” He said. “I love Team Flash. I love this Earth. And I don’t know if you noticed, but I can’t even go six months without you.”

Caitlin’s mouth tugged upwards into a soft, guilty smile. “I can’t live without you, either.”

Cisco walked across the room to scoop her up in his arms, squeezing her as tight as he’d allow.

“Whatever happens...We _are_ forever.”

~.~

They came clean about what happened to Team Flash, and Barry apologized for the grief it caused. 

Caitlin told Barry not to worry about it. 

Cisco broke up with Cindy.

Caitlin began wearing the diamond on her right hand. She called it a promise ring.

~.~

Eventually, it switched to her left. 

**Author's Note:**

> This idea stemmed from my last fic where Cisco had a ring inherited from his grandmother, and I thought....hmmm...Why don't I make it more interesting than that?


End file.
